Shipping-basket.



R. B. FULLER. SHIPPING BASKET.

APPLICATION FILED AUG. 16, 1909.

1,007,857. Patented N0v.7,1911.

H w lwl II A Mir Leases aw v UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

RUSSELL B. FULLER, 0F EVANSVILLE, INDIANA.

SHIPPING-BASKET.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, RUSSELL B. FULLER, a citizen of the United States, residing at Evansville, county of Vanderburg, and State of Indiana, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Shipping- Baskets, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to baskets or crates designed especially for shipping bananas.

The object of my invention is to provide a basket or crate which is adapted to receive bananas and which while being light in weight and comparatively simple and inexpensive in construction, will effectually protect the fruit in transit.

With these and other objects in view, the invention comprises the novel features of construction and combination of parts more fully hereinafter described.

In the accompanying drawings, Figure 1 is a side elevation of my invention, Fig. 2 is a perspective, and Fig. 3 is a bottom plan view.

Referring to the drawings, A represents the top hoop, B, the middle hoop, C, the bottom hoop, D, the various overlapping slats of which the crate is composed, E is the flexible covering over the top of the crate by means of whi'h the top is closed, F represents the inside bottom hoop, G represents the removable bottom of the crate, while H represents the stiffening slats.

My improved basket or crate consists of a plurality of thin slats extending lengthwise thereof and overlapping each other longitudinally, thus allowing circulation of air therebetween. These thin overlapping slats are secured together at the top by hoop A on the outside and hoop I on the inside, being held securely in place by any suitable fastening means. The slats are held in place at the bottom by similar means, being secured between outside hoop C and inside hoop F.

To prevent the overlapping slats from yielding too much, I provide a further outside hoop B, which. surrounds the crate in the middle and is securedto the slats by any suitable means. As this construction may Specification of Letters Patent.

Application filed August 16, 1909.

Patented Nov. '7, 1911. Serial No. 513,174.

not be of suflicient stability, I provide two or more reinforcing strips H of heavier material than are the slats. These are secured as are the slats at the top, bottom and middle. These strips H have a tendency to stiffen the crigate suflicient for the purposes demanded o it.

Between hoops A and I, and extending downwardly into the crate a suitable distance is securely attached a circular piece of gauze or other suitable material for a covering. When the bananas are placed in the basket or crate, this gauze is drawn out of the crate and drawn together at the top and over the fruit, and when secured together this provides a suitable covering for the fruit. The bottom G of the crate is composed of a piece of wood of sufiicient diameter to fit down and snugly against the lower inside hoop F and can be removed when the crate is empty by pressure of the hand.

From this construction it will be seen that a bunch of bananas may be placed in the basket, the gauze E'drawn together around the top of the bananas, and in this form can be easily and securely shipped.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent is In a shipping crate the combination of a cylindrical body composed of a plurality of flexible, overlapping slats, the vertical edges of said slats being respectively above and below the vertical edge of the next preceding and next following slat, hoops surrounding said slats, stiffening ribs extending lengthwise of the cylindrical body, a tubular fabric open at both ends having its bottom edge secured between two of 'saidhoops, means for closing the upper end of said fabric, and a removable bottom for said cylindrical body.

In testimony whereof, I hereunto aflix my signature in presence of two witnesses.

RUSSELL B. FULLER.

, Witnesses:

F. C. GORE, I Join: P. DOWNEY. 

